The number of survivors after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy has been increasing due to recent progress in medical system and care. Impairment after injury ranges from mild memory deficit to vegetative state or death. Cognitive impairment is particularly common in the survivors, because the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe are vulnerable to ischemic insult. Medication and cognitive rehabilitation should be initiated to minimize the impact of various cognitive deficits. Instead of Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Categories, which is insensitive to functional change, standardized functional assessment tools should also be used in research as well as in rehabilitation settings.
Brain Injuries ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* ; Memory Disorders ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Persistent Vegetative State ; Rehabilitation ; Survivors ; Temporal Lobe

The endocrinologic complications such as adrenal insufficiency and hypopituitarism are common after traumatic brain injury (TBI) portending poor rehabilitation outcome. Anterior pituitary dysfunction presents as hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency, adrenal insufficiency and hyperprolactinemia, whereas posterior pituitary dysfunction includes syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone and central diabetes insipidus. Careful history taking and physical examination are essential to detect these abnormalities early. Laboratory tests such as serum/urine sodium and osmolality, thyroid hormone, testosterone, estradiol, cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone or IGF-1 are also necessary. Screening of endocrinologic functions is recommended especially in patients with moderate or severe TBI, skull base fracture or diffuse axonal injury 3 to 6 months after injury. Further studies are needed to reveal the effect of early correction of endocrinologic abnormality on long-term functional outcome.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Brain Injuries ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic ; Diffuse Axonal Injury ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Estradiol ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperprolactinemia ; Hypogonadism ; Hypopituitarism ; Hypothyroidism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Mass Screening ; Osmolar Concentration ; Physical Examination ; Prolactin ; Skull Base ; Sodium ; Testosterone ; Thyroid Gland ; Treatment Outcome

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of long-term physical and psychological disability and death. In patients with TBI, undernutrition is associated with an increased mortality rate, more infectious complications, and worse neurologic outcomes. Therefore, timely and effective nutritional therapy is particularly crucial in the management of TBI to improve patients’ prognoses. This narrative review summarizes the issues encountered in clinical practice for patients with neurotrauma who receive acute and post-acute inpatient rehabilitation services, and it comprehensively incorporates a wide range of studies, including recent clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), with the aim of better understanding the current evidence for optimal nutritional therapy focused on TBI patients. Recent CPGs were reviewed for 6 topics: 1) hypermetabolism and variation in energy expenditure in patients with TBI, 2) delayed gastric emptying and intolerance to enteral nutrition, 3) decisionmaking on the route and timing of access in patients with TBI who are unable to maintain volitional intake (enteral nutrition versus parenteral nutrition), 4) decision-making on the enteral formula (standard or immune-modulating formulas), 5) glycemic control, and 6) protein support. We also identified areas that need further research in the future.

Little is known about the benefits of statin use on liver cancer mortality among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) considering hypercholesterolemia and obesity. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from a Health Examination Cohort of the National Health Insurance Service of Korea. Data on CHB patients with no other concurrent liver disease were acquired, and statin use was defined as a cumulative daily dose ≥28. A 3-year landmark analysis was performed to avoid immortal time bias. Patients who started statin therapy within the landmark date were considered statin users. A Cox regression analysis was applied to assess associations between statin use and liver cancer mortality considering hypercholesterolemia and obesity. Among 13063 patients, 193 (1.5%) died of liver cancer during the mean follow-up period of 10.6 years. After adjusting for demographic and metabolic factors, statin use [hazard ratio (HR), 0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.04–0.70] and hypercholesterolemia (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24–0.88 for total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL) were associated with a decreased risk of liver cancer mortality, whereas body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m² was associated with an increased risk of liver cancer mortality (HR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.20–5.06). This study showed that statin use was associated with decreased liver cancer mortality when adjusting for cholesterol levels and BMI. This study found that hypercholesterolemia was independently associated with decreased liver cancer mortality regardless of statin use.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Body Mass Index ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholesterol ; Cohort Studies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Neoplasms ; Liver ; Mortality ; National Health Programs ; Obesity ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: Recent neuroimaging studies have shown a strong involvement of the cortex as well as brainstem locomotor center in locomotion. In the present study, cortical activity during constant stepping was investigated using electroencephalography (EEG). METHOD: Five healthy volunteers participated in this study. Sixty-four channel EEG was measured for 10 min while the participants performed constant stepping on a cadence of 100 rpm (50 cycles per 1 min) using a recumbent stepper. Surface electromyography (EMG) was also measured at the bilateral vastus medialis muscles. Each stepping cycle was epoched from the onset of EMG signal of the right vastus medialis muscle. Averaged event-related potentials (ERP) and event-related spectral perturbations (ERSP) of all subjects were calculated at all EEG channels. RESULTS: Periodic change of ERP was centered on the CZ and FPZ electrodes. While ERP at the CZ started to increase at 200 and 800 ms, ERP at the FPZ started to increase at -50 and 600 ms. ERSP was remarkable at the CZ during stepping cycles. According to the stepping cycle, power increases were pronounced at low-gamma frequency band and also observed at beta band. CONCLUSION: This study showed cortical activity during constant stepping using EEG in healthy participants. Periodic cortical activities were remarkable at the sensorimotor cortex area, and precedent activities were observed at the prefrontal area. EEG measurement during stepping on a recumbent stepper may be a valuable tool in investigating cortical activates related to walking in patients with gait disorders.
Brain Stem ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography* ; Electromyography ; Evoked Potentials ; Gait ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Locomotion ; Muscles ; Neuroimaging ; Quadriceps Muscle ; Walking

This retrospective case series included five patients who underwent surgical resection of the cervical anterior osteophyte due to dysphagia. Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSSs) were performed before and after surgery on each patient, and kinematic analysis of the video clips from the VFSS of a 5-mL liquid barium swallow was carried out. Functional oral intake improved after surgery in 3/4 patients who had required a modified diet before surgery. Kinematic analysis showed increases in the maximal hyoid vertical movement length (13.16+/-5.87 to 19.09+/-4.77 mm, p=0.080), hyoid movement velocities (170.24+/-84.71 to 285.53+/-104.55 mm/s, p=0.043), and upper esophageal sphincter opening width (3.97+/-0.42 to 6.39+/-1.32 mm, p=0.043) after surgery. In conclusion, improved upper esophageal sphincter opening via enhancement of hyoid movement after cervical anterior osteophyte resection may be the kinetic mechanism of improved swallowing function.
Barium ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Deglutition* ; Diet ; Esophageal Sphincter, Upper ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone ; Osteophyte* ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize the use of medical service and medical costs of each cluster categorized by its discharge disposition pattern. METHOD: Data extracted from Electronic Data Interchange database of Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service was analyzed. Among those who suffered from industrial accidents from Jan 1, 2006 to Dec 31, 2006, 422 were stroke patients. We categorized the subjects into 2 groups using k-means cluster analysis according to the discharge disposition pattern. Demographic characteristics, days of treatment, medical cost, initially admitted medical institution and disease type were analyzed in each group. RESULTS: There was no difference between the 2 groups in age, sex, type of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke) and initially admitted medical institution. However medical cost and days of treatment were significantly different between 2 groups. CONCLUSION: K-means cluster analysis according to transferring pattern revealed a distinct group with longer hospitalization and more medical cost in injured workers. Further study is necessary to find out the characteristics of this group.
Accidents, Occupational ; Cluster Analysis ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Stroke ; Workers' Compensation